Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, plans to carry out up to 100 Starship rocket launches each year. However, such an ambitious use comes with risks, particularly the impact on the environment and neighboring communities due to significant noise and sonic booms during rocket launch and return.
Noise threats from Starship
Researchers analyzed noise levels and atmospheric pressure changes during Starship’s fifth test flight in October. The mega rocket was found to pose a higher risk of damage to buildings in the nearby communities of Port Isabel and South Padre Island, Texas. These results are published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America’s Express Letters.
Starship generates a powerful shockwave that occurs when it breaks the sound barrier. In addition, the noise is amplified at the moment of separation of the stabilization ring of the rocket, which falls from the height.
During its fifth flight, the rocket also set a record: its super-heavy booster was gently gripped for the first time by a special tower with mechanical “arms”. This engineering breakthrough brought Starship much closer to reusability. At the same time, the noise from the rocket exceeded the volume of the Falcon 9 launch by a factor of 10, and was also much stronger than NASA’s SLS.
Environmental Challenges
Starbase rocket site, located in Boca Chica, Texas, is surrounded by nature preserves. It is home to endangered species such as ocelots and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. Environmentalists say SpaceX’s activities contribute to the decline of local bird populations and cause other harm to the local ecosystem.
After the initial launch, several environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), accusing it of negligent environmental review. SpaceX denies the allegations and notes compliance.
SpaceX plans to increase the number of launches in the future, with 25 missions planned for 2025 and up to 100 launches annually afterward. This raises questions about Starship’s impact on the environment and communities. Researchers call for additional measurements to assess the effects and develop strategies to minimize them.
Previously, we covered everything you wondered about Starship but were afraid to ask.
Provided by gizmodo.com
